This invention relates to inhalation devices and, more particularly, to a prophylactic inhalation device for use by persons with obstructed and/or blocked nasal passages.
People with obstructed and/or blocked nasal passages may experience sleep deprivation due to such conditions. The obstructed/blocked nasal passages may be due to physical conditions or may occur after nasal operations after which the nasal passages are temporarily packed (.apprxeq.five days) to control bleeding and provide support thereto. As such the patients must necessarily breathe through their mouth during such blockages.
Sleep deprivation occurs in such instances primarily due to the patient's fear of suffocation which arises upon mouth closure. Upon sensing a mouth closure the patient awakes and may find it difficult to sleep because of the fear of subsequent mouth closure. Such fear may become so pronounced that sleep may become impossible. Thus, hospitalization could result so that the distraught patient may sleep in a monitored environment.
Furthermore, upon swallowing discomfort of the patient may occur. As the act of swallowing is normally accompanied by mouth closure, air is removed from the oral and/or nasal cavities. Thus, a partial vacuum may be produced due to the blocked nasal passages. This vacuum causes discomfort of the tissues of the nasal passages particularly if the tissues are experiencing trauma due to an antecedent operation.
Finally, as the patients must breathe through their mouths the incoming air is not conditioned by the nasal passages. The throat and lips may become parched leading to more discomfort. Thus, one or more of these factors can lead to patient discomfort and sleep deprivation.
Various devices have arisen to assist patients in breathing. However, such devices have been relatively expensive, cumbersome to use and have not cost-effectively addressed the above problems.
In response thereto I have provided an inhalation device designed to be comfortably worn and maintained in place by a sleeping user. A mouthpiece assembly presents a bite plate and a downstream humidifying chamber positioned outside the wearer's mouth. The humidifying chamber encompasses a plurality of cones designed to capture moisture molecules for transfer of the moisture to an air stream passing through the chamber. The mouthpiece includes structure which displaces the dental arches so as to preclude a vacuum buildup within the oral cavity upon swallowing. Accordingly, the device addresses the major factors leading to sleep deprivation of a user experiencing nasal problems.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a device to assist the inhalation process of a user having nasal obstruction and/or blockage problems.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, which precludes mouth closure of the wearer to reduce the accompanying sensation of suffocation.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, which diminishes parched lips and diminishes parching of the throat.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, which precludes the discomfort associated with swallowing.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, which humidifies the inhaled and exhaled air streams.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, having a mouthpiece which is effectively retained adjacent the upper and lower dental arches of a user.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a device with mouthpiece, as aforesaid, which effectively displaces the dental arches of the user so as to inhibit production of a vacuum in the oral cavity upon swallowing.
A further object of this invention is to provide a device with mouthpiece, as aforesaid, which inhibits the entry of untreated air into the oral cavity.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.